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At the time, he said: "They want all of the bowling green, but we can't, we are not cash-rich. It is a lucrative area but some people want it left as an open space.

"I am being advised that we have got to go down the sale road. I have 116,000 residents to consider in every decision that I make, it is not just one small area, but we will give it due care and consideration."

The council had wanted to sell two thirds of the land for housing development, causing outcry from residents who claimed it was "the only remaining piece of open green space in the area".